Sunday, July 6, 2008

MOVIE: 42 UP

The Up Series consists of a series of documentary films that have followed the lives of fourteen British children since 1964, when they were seven years old. The children were selected to represent the range of socio-economic backgrounds in Britain at that time, with the explicit assumption that each child's social class predetermines their future. Every seven years, the director, Michael Apted, films new material from as many of the fourteen as he can get to participate. The latest film, 49 Up, was released in September 2005; filming for the next instalment in the series, 56 Up, is expected in late 2011 or early 2012.

In 35 Up, mostly everyone was going through a crisis or a depression. There were a few that were happy with their life so far. In 42 Up everyone is now happy or seem to be anyway. The ones that were happy before are still happy and the ones that were depressed have turned around and seem to be more full of life.

The rich snob that became a lawyer and married a rich chick chose not to be in this film which he pretty much said before that he wouldn't. I think he probably will never do another one again as he seems to not think highly of the series. Others who haven't been on in a while are still not around. Except for Simon who wasn't around the last time because his mother died and he got divorced. He is back now, remarried with a new kid and job. He loves the life he has.

That seems to be the theme of 42 Up, everyone is happy. There is some things that are revealed that aren't so happy that have happened in the last 7 years. Like Tony cheating on his wife, Jackie becoming a single parent again and being diagnosed with arthritis. Some have lost parents for the first time and some have lost another.

Even Neil is happy now for the first time since he was 7. Homeless all his life up until now, where it seems like he is living in a nice enough place and has a voluntary job working as a local politician. Even though he doesn't have a job and gets unemployment, he is doing something that he has always said he wanted to be involved in. Bruce, who I thought would never get married, gets married in the film and seems to be the happiest he has ever been in his whole life. I hope all of their happiness continues into 49 up.